CROME-LIFE Partnership agreement. LIFE+ Programme (European Commission)

Transcription

1 CROME-LIFE Partnership agreement LIFE+ Programme (European Commission) 1

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3 Partnership agreement Concerning the LIFE project CROME-LIFE LIFE12 ENV/GR/ The Coordinating Beneficiary Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Eidikos Logariasmos Kondilion Erevnas Ktirio KEDEA 3is Septemvriou Panepistimioupoli Thessaloniki (GREECE) represented by Prof. Sofia Kouidou Andreou, Vice Rector of Auth and President of the Research Committee AND The Associated Beneficiary Istituto Superiore di Sanità Viale Regina Elena 299, Roma ( ITALY) represented by Dott. Fabrizio Oleari President of Istituto Superiore di Sanità The Associated Beneficiary Jožef Stefan Institute Jamova cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana (SLOVENIA) represented by Prof. Jadran Lenarčič Director of Jožef Stefan Institute The Associated Beneficiary Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas Calle Serrano 117, Madrid (SPAIN) represented by Prof. Antonio Figueras Vice-president for Scientific and Technical Research 3

4 1. Subject HAVE AGREED This partnership agreement is concluded in relation to the LIFE project Cross-Mediterranean Environment and Health Network (CROME), as described in Grant Agreement LIFE12 ENV/GR/001040, signed in Brussels on 7 August The Grant Agreement (and any amendment thereto) signed by the Coordinating Beneficiary and the European Commission, which includes special provisions, the Common Provisions, the full project proposal and the other annexes, forms an integral part of this partnership agreement. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, all parts of the Common Provisions are relevant for and apply to both the Coordinating Beneficiary and the Associated Beneficiary. The provisions of the Grant Agreement, including the mandate 1 (stipulating that the Associated Beneficiary gives the Coordinating Beneficiary the mandate to act on its behalf towards the Commission), shall take precedence over any other agreement between the Associated Beneficiary and the Coordinating Beneficiary that may have an effect on the implementation of 2. Duration This partnership agreement enters into force when all the parties (Coordinating Beneficiary / Associated Beneficiaries) sign, and terminates five years after the date of the payment of the balance by the Coordinating Beneficiary to the Associated Beneficiary. 3. Role and obligations of the Coordinating Beneficiary The Common Provisions, Article 4, sets out the role and general obligations of the Coordinating Beneficiary. The modalities for implementing this article are: - the Coordinating Beneficiary shall provide the Associated Beneficiary with copies of technical and financial reports submitted to the Commission as well as the Commission s reactions to these documents. The Coordinating Beneficiary shall regularly inform the Associated Beneficiary about communication with the Commission concerning the project; - In exercising the mandate given by the Associated Beneficiary to act on its behalf, the Coordinating Beneficiary will take into due consideration the interests and concerns of the Associated Beneficiary, whom the Coordinating Beneficiary will consult whenever appropriate and especially prior to requesting any modification of the Grant Agreement; - The European financial contribution is given in three installments, according with the rules set out by the Common Provisions, Article 29: - A first pre-financing payment, equivalent to 40% of the maximum Union financial contribution. The first pre-financing payment will be given to every partner in proportion to the approved budget and its contribution to it. - Intermediate payment 40% of the maximum European funding in proportion to every involved partner will be given with the authorization by LIFE of the Project s Mid- 1 The A-form in the revised project proposal called ["Associated beneficiary declaration" "Associated beneficiary declaration and Mandate"] 4

5 term Report (submittal foreseen for the 21 st month of the project) and according to Article 29.3 of the Common Provisions, which amongst others verifies that the partner has implemented the physical object of each subtask, according to the specified schedule, and under the condition that at least 150% of the first pre-financing payment has been consumed (as a percentage of costs incurred). The intermediate payment will be given to every partner in proportion to the approved budget and its contribution to it - Completion of the payments will take place with the balance of the amount of Commission funding to each partner, after the approval by the LIFE authorities of the Final Report and the final statement of expenditure and income provided for in Article 12 of the Common Provision. The final payment will be given to every partner in proportion to the approved budget and its contribution to it - For the payment to the partners of the abovementioned amounts of LIFE financial contribution, the Coordinating Beneficiary shall transfer to the partners within 30 days of receipt of the funds the amount owing to them. In the case of the pre-financing payment, the respects funds will be transferred to the partners within 30 days after entry into force of this Partnership Agreement. 4. Role and obligations of the Associated Beneficiary The Common Provisions, Article 5, sets out the role and general obligations of the Associated Beneficiary. The modalities for implementing this article are: Associated Beneficiary Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS) is the designated Action leader of the actions B.5 Environment-wide association studies and B.6 Development of guidelines providing and ensuring the overall coordination of all the activities within these actions. Moreover ISS is the designated Task leader of tasks B.5.1 Data assimilation by linking biomarker data to exposure burden from multiple routes and comparing them to Biomonitoring Equivalents, B.5.2 Link with Health Observations and B.6.1 Development of guidelines providing and ensuring scientific/technical leadership of the scientific activities foreseen in these tasks. ISS shall be responsible for the following deliverables: - Deliverable B.5.1 Technical report detailing population exposure patterns reconstruction derived applying backward approach (reverse modelling) - Deliverable B.5.2 Technical report on quantitative health impact assessment (cancer and neurodevelopmental disorders) - Deliverable B.6.1 A national report in English and in the four national official languages including recommendations for policy makers ISS will be also involved as partner in the following tasks and shall contribute to the following deliverables: - Task B.1.1 Review of knowledge on the state of the art and on methodology, providing scientific support to the review of the state of the art on metals and cancer/neurodevelopment. Scientific/technical contribution to deliverable B1.1. Report on the state of the art on integrated exposure and health assessment for exposure to carcinogens and neurodevelopmental disorders substances and recommendations for further development. 5

6 - Task B.1.2 Development of methodological framework, providing scientific support to the development of the CROME-LIFE methodological framework. Scientific/technical contribution to deliverable B1.2. Methodology report outlining the ways to link environmental, human biomonitoring and health status data to derive environment-wide association and integrated health impact assessment - Task B.2.1 Data collection, responsible for data collection and identification of major data gaps, statistical screening of available data inventories for the Italian demonstration site. - Task B.3.1 Environmental and HBM campaign design, providing scientific support in field campaigns design. Scientific/technical contribution to deliverable B3.1 Concept document on HBM and environmental campaign design and B3.2 Communication plan of the human biomonitoring campaign results. - Task B.3.2 Environmental and HBM campaigns execution, providing scientific support in field campaign execution in Italy and sample collection and analysis. Scientific/technical contribution to deliverable B3.3 Technical report summarizing the findings of the environmental measurement and HBM campaigns - Task B.4.2 Exposure modeling, providing scientific support in exposure modeling, statistical analysis and interpretation of exposure-related data. Scientific/technical contribution to deliverable B4.1 Technical report on exposure (external and internal) modeling framework applied to the demonstrations sites. - Task C.1 Monitoring of the impact of the project actions, providing scientific support in preparation of the monitoring protocol for the impact of the project actions, preparation of questionnaires for the competent authorities for the Italian demonstration site. Scientific/technical contribution to deliverable C.1.1 Report on the main sources of exposure for the population and vulnerable groups and identification of effective countermeasures to limit the impact on human health in each demonstration area for the Italian demonstration site. - Task C.2 Monitoring of the socio-economic impact of the project actions on local economy and population through the identification of survey participants for the Italian demonstration site and providing scientific support in the execution of the survey in Italy and in the estimation of the overall socio-economic impact. Scientific/technical contribution to deliverable C.2.1 Report on the socio-economic impact of the project actions on the local economy and population for the Italian demonstration site. - Task D.1 Communication and dissemination providing technical/scientific and organizational support in dissemination actions including networking. Moreover ISS shall be responsible for the organization of interregional workshop in Rome, for the translation in Italian of the Deliverable D.1.3 Leaflets in Slovenian, Spanish, Italian and English and for the deliverable D.1.5 Report on the second Interregional Workshop in Rome In addition ISS shall provide scientific/technical support for the: CROME web-portal content. Deliverable D.1.7 Closing event in Thessaloniki. Deliverable D.1.8 Database portal allowing direct consultation of the project datasets by the principal investigators/coordinators of the scientific network established. 6

7 Deliverable D1.9 Synthesis report of project technical publications. Deliverable D1.10 After LIFE Communication plan. - Task E.1 Project management and monitoring of the project progress, providing management support in effective implementation of the project at the country level, including financial reporting. Scientific/technical support for the deliverable E1.2 Guidance document on green procurement according with the EC Green Procurement Principles. Active support in the preparation of the Inception, Mid-Term, Final report, first and second Financial report. Support in the preparation of the deliverable E.1.6 Progress report with the results from the project s monitoring and evaluation activity. Associated Beneficiary Jožef Stefan Institute (JSI) is the designated Action Leader of the Action B.3 Targeted measurement campaigns to fill the data gaps, providing and ensuring the overall coordination of all the activities within this action. Moreover JSI is the designated Task leader of tasks B.2.2 Quality Assessment / Quality Control (QA/QC), B.3.1 Environmental and HBM campaign design, B.3.2 Environmental and HBM campaigns execution providing and ensuring scientific/technical leadership of the scientific activities foreseen in these tasks. JSI shall be responsible for the following deliverables: - Deliverable B.2.1 Total quality management (quality control/quality assurance) protocol - Deliverable B.3.1 Concept document on HBM and environmental campaign design - Deliverable B.3.2 Communication plan of the human biomonitoring campaign results - Deliverable B.3.3 Technical report summarizing the findings of the environmental measurement and HBM campaigns JSI will be also involved as partner in the following tasks and shall contribute to the following deliverables: - Task B.1.1 Review of knowledge on the state of the art and on methodology, providing scientific support in the integration of the already available environmental, HBM and health data. Scientific/technical contribution to deliverable B1.1. Report on the state of the art on integrated exposure and health assessment for exposure to carcinogens and neurodevelopmental disorders substances and recommendations for further development. - Task B.1.2 Development of methodological framework, providing scientific support in the development of the methodological framework and for relevant ethical considerations. Scientific/technical contribution to deliverable B1.2. Methodology report outlining the ways to link environmental, human biomonitoring and health status data to derive environment-wide association and integrated health impact assessment. - Task B.2.1 Data collection, responsible for data collection and identification of major data gaps for the Slovenian demonstration site and for the Quality Assessment / Quality Control (QA/QC) of the data collected across the four demonstration sites. 7

8 - Task B.3.1 Environmental and HBM campaign design, responsible for the field campaigns design. - Task B.3.2 Environmental and HBM campaigns execution, responsible for the overall scientific coordination of field campaigns in the four demonstration sites and responsible for the execution of the Slovenian filed campaign, sample collection and analysis. - Task B.4.2 Exposure modeling, providing scientific support to exposure modeling, statistical analysis and interpretation of exposure-related data. Scientific/technical contribution to deliverable B4.1 Technical report on exposure (external and internal) modeling framework applied to the demonstrations sites. - Task B.5.1 Data assimilation by linking biomarker data to exposure burden from multiple routes and comparing them to Biomonitoring Equivalents providing scientific support in data assimilation for a correct interpretation of HBM data. Scientific/technical support to deliverable B.5.1 Technical report detailing population exposure patterns reconstruction derived applying backward approach (reverse modelling) - Task B.5.2 Link with Health Observations providing scientific support in data analysis and modeling the effects on human health of the observed environmental and HBM measurements. Scientific/technical support to deliverable B.5.2 Technical report on quantitative health impact assessment (cancer and neurodevelopmental disorders). - Task B.6.1 Development of guidelines providing technical/scientific support in the identification of data gaps in Slovenia, reporting on main difficulties encountered and formulating recommendations for policy answers and harmonization with other countries. - Scientific/technical support to deliverable B.6.1 A national report in English and in the four national official languages including recommendations for policy makers. - Task C.1 Monitoring of the impact of the project actions, providing scientific support in preparation of the monitoring protocol for the impact of the project actions and compliance and harmonization of approaches with other countries. Scientific/technical contribution to deliverable C.1.1 Report on the main sources of exposure for the population and vulnerable groups and identification of effective countermeasures to limit the impact on human health in each demonstration area for the Slovenian demonstration site. - Task C.2 Monitoring of the socio-economic impact of the project actions on local economy and population through the identification of survey participants for the Slovenian demonstration site and providing scientific support in the execution of the survey in Slovenia and in the estimation of the overall socio-economic impact. Scientific/technical contribution to deliverable C.2.1 Report on the socio-economic impact of the project actions on the local economy and population for the Slovenian demonstration site. - Task D.1 Communication and dissemination providing technical/scientific and organizational support in dissemination actions including networking. Moreover JSI shall be responsible for the organization of interregional workshop in Ljubljana, for the translation in Slovenian of the Deliverable D.1.3 Leaflets in Slovenian, Spanish, Italian and English and for the deliverable D.1.5 Report on the second Interregional Workshop in Ljubljana 8

9 In addition JSI shall provide scientific/technical support for the: CROME web-portal content. Deliverable D.1.7 Closing event in Thessaloniki. Deliverable D.1.8 Database portal allowing direct consultation of the project datasets by the principal investigators/coordinators of the scientific network established. Deliverable D1.9 Synthesis report of project technical publications. Deliverable D1.10 After LIFE Communication plan. - Task E.1 Project management and monitoring of the project progress, providing management support in effective implementation of the project at the country level, including financial reporting and leading the assessment of the project's potential. Scientific/technical support for the deliverable E1.2 Guidance document on green procurement according with the EC Green Procurement Principles Active support in the preparation of the Inception, Mid-Term Final report, first and second Financial report. Support in the preparation of the deliverable E.1.6 Progress report with the results from the project s monitoring and evaluation activity. Associated Beneficiary Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC) is the designated Action Leader of the action B.2 Data collection and management providing and ensuring the overall coordination of all the activities within this action. Moreover CSIC is the designated Task leader of tasks B.2.1 Data collection and B.4.2 Exposure modeling providing and ensuring scientific/technical leadership of the scientific activities foreseen in these tasks. CSIC shall be responsible for the data collection coordination activities in the four demonstration sites and for the following deliverable: - Deliverable B4.1 Technical report on exposure (external and internal) modeling framework applied to the demonstrations sites. CSIC shall be also involved as partner in the following tasks and shall contribute to the following deliverables: - Task B.1.1 Review of knowledge on the state of the art and on methodology, providing scientific support to the review of the state of the art on metals and cancer/neurodevelopment. Scientific/technical contribution to deliverable B1.1. Report on the state of the art on integrated exposure and health assessment for exposure to carcinogens and neurodevelopmental disorders substances and recommendations for further development. - Task B.1.2 Development of methodological framework, providing scientific support to the development of the CROME-LIFE methodological framework. Scientific/technical contribution to deliverable B1.2. Methodology report outlining the ways to link environmental, human biomonitoring and health status data to derive environment-wide association and integrated health impact assessment. - Task B.3.1 Environmental and HBM campaign design, providing scientific support in field campaigns design. Scientific/technical contribution to deliverable B3.1 Concept document on HBM and environmental campaign design and B3.2 Communication plan of the human biomonitoring campaign results. 9

10 - Task B.3.2 Environmental and HBM campaigns execution, providing scientific support in field campaign execution in Spain and sample collection and analysis. Scientific/technical contribution to deliverable B3.3 Technical report summarizing the findings of the environmental measurement and HBM campaigns - Task B.4.1 Environmental modeling, providing scientific support in environmental modeling. Responsible for the deliverable D.4.1 Technical report on exposure (external and internal) modeling framework applied to the demonstrations sites - Task B.5.2 Link with Health Observations providing scientific support in data analysis and modeling the effects on human health of the observed environmental and HBM measurements. Scientific/technical support to deliverable B.5.2 Technical report on quantitative health impact assessment (cancer and neurodevelopmental disorders). - Task B.6.1 Development of guidelines providing technical/scientific support in the identification of data gaps in Spain, reporting on main difficulties encountered and formulating recommendations for policy answers. Scientific/technical support to deliverable B.6.1 A national report in English and in the four national official languages including recommendations for policy makers. - Task C.1 Monitoring of the impact of the project actions, providing scientific support in preparation of the monitoring protocol for the impact of the project actions. Scientific/technical contribution to deliverable C.1.1 Report on the main sources of exposure for the population and vulnerable groups and identification of effective countermeasures to limit the impact on human health in each demonstration area for the Spanish demonstration site. - Task C.2 Monitoring of the socio-economic impact of the project actions on local economy and population through the identification of survey participants for the Spanish demonstration site and providing scientific support in the execution of the survey in Spain and in the estimation of the overall socio-economic impact. Scientific/technical contribution to deliverable C.2.1 Report on the socio-economic impact of the project actions on the local economy and population for the Spanish demonstration site. - Task D.1 Communication and dissemination providing technical/scientific and organizational support in dissemination actions including networking. Moreover CSIC shall be responsible for the organization of interregional workshop in Barcelona, for the translation in Spanish of the Deliverable D.1.3 Leaflets in Slovenian, Spanish, Italian and English and for the deliverable D.1.5 Report on the second Interregional Workshop in Barcelona. In addition JSI shall provide scientific/technical support for the: CROME web-portal content. Deliverable D.1.7 Closing event in Thessaloniki. Deliverable D.1.8 Database portal allowing direct consultation of the project datasets by the principal investigators/coordinators of the scientific network established. Deliverable D1.9 Synthesis report of project technical publications. Deliverable D1.10 After LIFE Communication plan. - Task E.1 Project management and monitoring of the project progress, providing management support in effective implementation of the project at the country level, including financial reporting. 10

11 Scientific/technical support for the deliverable E1.2 Guidance document on green procurement according with the EC Green Procurement Principles. Active support in the preparation of the Inception, Mid-Term Final report, first and second Financial report. Support in the preparation of the deliverable E.1.6 Progress report with the results from the project s monitoring and evaluation activity. 4.1 Financial contributions Associated Beneficiary Financial contribution of the Associated Beneficiary ( ) Total costs ( ) EC's Contribution ( ) ISS 173, , ,308 50% JSI 174, , ,475 50% CSIC 180, , ,225 50% Total 528,008 1,056, ,008 50% % EC Contribution 5. Common obligations for both the Coordinating Beneficiary and the Associated Beneficiary The Common Provisions, Article 6, sets out common obligations for both the Coordinating Beneficiary and the Associated Beneficiary. The modalities for implementing this article are: 5.1 The Associated Beneficiaries must transmit to the Coordinating Beneficiary all the appropriate supporting documentation for all expenditure every three months. This includes the personnel timesheet duly completed and signed by the Associated Beneficiary, tender documents, invoices, purchase orders, proof of payments and any other documents used for the calculation and presentation of costs. 5.2 All the documentation except for the timesheet has to be supplied in original copy with the official stamp of LIFE indicating the reference number of the project. 5.3 The Coordinating Beneficiary shall collect all of the above and shall maintain up-to-date books of account. All this documentation shall be clear, precise and effective. 5.4 Management structure The structure and organisation of management activities includes as main management bodies: the Project Manager, the Steering Committee, the Action Leaders, the Tasks Leaders, the Financial manager and the Project Advisory Board. The Coordinating Beneficiary through the Project Manager will coordinate the technical and administrative aspects of the project as well as the scientific and financial ones The Project Manager shall: Coordinate the overall scientific and ethical aspects of the project and provide scientific leadership; 11

12 Oversee the correct application of Procedures of QA/QC which will ensure that all agreed scientifically acceptable criteria and protocols are being followed for work; Liaise regularly with the European Commission, including in particular timely submission of reports and additional material, and request for amendments to the Grant Agreement; Ensure integration of all the different project elements; Together with the Action Leaders responsible for reporting; Oversee the use and dissemination of generated knowledge; Act as the final arbiter and decision-maker on scientific issues and overall project strategy; Act as a focal point for external contacts on behalf of the project; Deal with any significant emerging issues not covered by the management procedures. Organize and chair technical meetings with selected partners to discuss the development of each Action. Ensure that the green procurement guidance is implemented and adhered to Project progress will be monitored by continuous evaluation of each Action progress. Each Action has a single Action Leader (AL). Action Leaders are the main responsible for quality control and assurance of the task deliverables. They will summarise the overall project status and planning. Action Leaders shall be also responsible for: organising a detailed breakdown of the activities within the Action to be presented before its commencement, keeping the contacts among the partners and checking the intermediate work progress and providing necessary input for technical reports Each Task within each Action is charged to one Task Leader (TL). Task Leaders are responsible for the implementation of a Task within the Action, and they will formally report every month to the Action Leader on the work progress with respect to the regularly up-dated detailed work plan. Based on the progress reported the Action Leaders will highlight any potential problems for discussion with the Project Manager and the Steering Committee in order to find the appropriate solutions The Steering Committee (SC) is the ultimate decision body and it is composed by 1 representative per partner The main duties of the Steering Committee are: To manage conflict resolution To monitor the progress and the quality of the project outputs To validates the methodological choice of the project To valorise the results emerging from the foreseen activities 12

13 To evaluate actions development and their compliance with performances indicators To revise and referee the products project actions (i.e. deliverables, guidelines, manual). Decisions of the Steering Committee will be taken on simple majority and they will be readily communicated to all partners and the Commission. The SC will meet every six months during the foreseen 6-monthly project progress meeting and will be chaired by the Project Manager The Financial Manager (FM) of the project coordinates the financial accounting activities of all partners and will support the accounting and financial reporting activities of all partners. Counterparts in all partner organisations will be identified as responsible for financial management. This network of financial managers in the Associated Beneficiaries will cooperate with the Financial Manager aiming to comply with the principles of good financial management and European Commission rules The Scientific Advisory Board is composed by external international experts who cover different aspects of the interdisciplinary scientific fields coming to bear in CROME-LIFE. The main aims of the Scientific Advisory Board are: to review and monitor the scientific direction of the project; to provide scientific advice on the appropriate scientific direction of the project during its different phases of implementation; to bring in the latest scientific developments worldwide in the areas of interest to the project team; to act as a proactive communication channel with the scientific community for sharing experience with the project team and for disseminating further and more directly the innovative aspects and results of the project. The SAB will be consulted via regular web conferencing and physical meetings organized in conjunction to project progress meetings. 5.5 Meetings The overall progress of the project will be monitored in follow-up 6-monthly project progress meetings. Extraordinary meetings can be requested by any Party upon written request to the Coordinating Beneficiary. Project meeting may also be held by teleconference or other telecommunication means. The Project Manager will chair project meetings. The Project manager shall give notice in writing of a meeting to each Party as soon as possible and no later than 21 calendar days preceding an ordinary meeting and 7 calendar days preceding an extraordinary meeting. During the progress meetings any Part: - should be present or represented at any meeting; - may appoint a substitute or a proxy to attend and vote at any meeting; 13

14 - and shall participate in a cooperative manner in the meetings The Project manager shall produce written minutes of each meeting, which shall be the formal record of all decisions taken. He shall send draft minutes to all Members within 15 calendar days of the meeting. The minutes shall be considered as accepted if, within 15 calendar days from sending, no Member has objected in writing to the chairperson with respect to the accuracy of the draft of the minutes. 6. Technical activity reports 6.1. Each Associated Beneficiary shall provide any relevant information to the Coordinating Beneficiary in due time before the submission of reports to the Commission and be available with additional information, should the Commission so request According with the rules set out in the Common Provision, Article 12, the Coordinating Beneficiary shall regularly inform the Commission on the progress and on the achievements of the CROME-LIFE project through the submission of the following reports: One inception report, to be delivered within nine months of the project start One mid-term report, to be delivered at the 21 st month of the project, together with the request for mid-term pre-financing, after the threshold defined in Article 29.3 of the Common Provision has been reached One progress report to be delivered at the 36 th month of the project One final report, to be delivered within three months of the project end (45 th month of the project) Each Associated Beneficiary shall transmit to the Coordinating Beneficiary all the technical and financial documentation in original within 20 days before the deadline for the submission of all the above technical activity reports. 7. Financial reporting 7.1. Each Associated Beneficiary is obliged to report costs as specified in the Common Provisions and the Grant Agreement Regarding the final statement of expenditure and income, each Associated Beneficiary shall provide the Coordinating Beneficiary with a dated and signed "participant cost statement summary" at least 20 days before the deadline for submission to the Commission of the final report The deadline for each Associated Beneficiary to provide the Coordinating Beneficiary with the mid-term financial statement is 20 days before the deadline for submission to the Commission of the mid-term report The procedure to collect the data and to channel them through the Coordinating Beneficiary regularly is the following: 14

15 The Associated Beneficiaries must transmit to the Coordinating Beneficiary all the appropriate supporting documentation for all expenditure on monthly basis All the documentation except the timesheet has to be supplied in original copy with the official stamp of LIFE indicating the reference number of the project Cumulative financial statements summarizing all the information and data relevant to the respective financial reporting period will be provided by each Associated Beneficiary to the Coordinating Beneficiary at least 20 days before the deadline for submission by the Coordinating Beneficiary of the respective financial report to the European Commission. 8. Estimated eligible costs and Associated Beneficiary's financial contribution to the project 8.1. In accordance with the "declaration of the Associated Beneficiary", the Associated Beneficiary Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS) will implement actions with an estimated total cost of 346,616. The Associated Beneficiary Istituto Superiore di Sanità will contribute 173,308 to the project of own financial resources. On the basis of the above amounts, the Associated Beneficiary Istituto Superiore di Sanità will receive from the Coordinating Beneficiary a maximum amount of 173,308 as share of the EU contribution In accordance with the "declaration of the Associated Beneficiary", the Associated Beneficiary Jožef Stefan Institute (JSI) will implement actions with an estimated total cost of 348,950. The Associated Beneficiary Jožef Stefan Institute will contribute 174,475 to the project of own financial resources. On the basis of the above amounts, the Associated Beneficiary Jožef Stefan Institute will receive from the Coordinating Beneficiary a maximum amount of 174,475 as share of the EU contribution In accordance with the "declaration of the Associated Beneficiary", the Associated Beneficiary Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC) will implement actions with an estimated total cost of 360,450. The Associated Beneficiary Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas will contribute 180,225 to the project of own financial resources. On the basis of the above amounts, the Associated Beneficiary Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas will receive from the Coordinating Beneficiary a maximum amount of 180,225 as share of the EU contribution The estimated total costs incurred by the Associated Beneficiaries will be regularly reviewed during the project. In agreement with the Coordinating Beneficiary (which will take into account the total costs of the project incurred by all participants), the amounts specified in this Article can be modified, provided that the modifications are in line with the Grant Agreement concerning the project budget. The final settlement will be based on the Commission's assessment of the final statement of expenditure and income and more precisely on the accepted eligible costs of the project. 15

16 9. Payment terms 9.1. Unless requested otherwise in writing by the Associated Beneficiary, the Coordinating Beneficiary shall make all payments to the following bank account of the Associated Beneficiaries: CSIC: Banco de España, Alcala 50, Madrid (Spain) Account number: IBAN: ES ISS: Banca delle Marche, Viale Regina Elena 299, Rome (Italy) Account number: 001 IBAN: IT13C JSI: Bank of Slovenia, Slovenska cesta 35, 1505 Ljubljana (Slovenia) Account number: IBAN: SI The payment scheme between the Coordinating Beneficiary and the Associated Beneficiary follows the payments made by the Commission to the Coordinating Beneficiary Once this Partnership Agreement has come into force, the Coordinating Beneficiary shall transfer to the partners within 30 days from the receipt of the pre-financing, mid-term and final payment the amount owing to them The Coordinating Beneficiary and the Associated Beneficiary agree that all payments are considered as pre-financing payments until the Commission has approved the final technical and financial reports and has transferred the final payment to the Coordinating Beneficiary The Coordinating Beneficiary shall transfer the share of the final payment to the Associated Beneficiary after the Commission has made the final payment The Coordinating Beneficiary may recover any amounts which have been unduly paid to the Associated Beneficiary, including unduly paid amounts identified as such during an ex-post audit by the Commission. 10. Termination of Partnership Agreement The validity of the present Partnership Agreement starts from the day of its signature by the contracting Parties. The Partnership Agreement has duration of at least forty-two (42) months In any case the Partnership Agreement is valid until the authorization of the Final Report by the EU authorities, according to its specifications Prior to the signature by the Coordinating Beneficiary of the Grant Agreement, any Party may withdraw from this Partnership Agreement by giving written notice to the other Parties. A Party withdrawing from this Partnership Agreement under this Clause must also withdraw from participation in the Project. 16

17 10.4. After signature by the Coordinating Beneficiary of the Grant Agreement, a Party may only withdraw from this Partnership Agreement with the consent of all the other Parties acting on the advice of the Steering Committee, and subject to the prior consent of the Commission to termination of its participation in the GA A Party in substantial breach of its obligations under the Grant Agreement or this Partnership Agreement shall be given written notice by the other Parties acting jointly, or by the Coordinating Beneficiary following a decision of the Steering Committee to give such notice. The notice shall specify the nature of the breach and require it to be remedied. If after one month from the giving of such notice the breach has not been remedied the other Parties or the Coordinating Beneficiary (as the case may be) may terminate this Partnership Agreement with respect to the Defaulting Party and request the Commission to terminate that Party s participation in the Grant Agreement If a Party s participation in the Grant Agreement is terminated by the Commission otherwise than by mutual agreement pursuant to Clause 11.3 above, this Partnership Agreement will terminate with respect to that Party with effect from the date of termination of its participation in the Grant Agreement. If the Commission s grounds for termination are an Irregularity under the Grant Agreement such a Party shall be treated for the purposes of this Partnership agreement as a Defaulting Party Withdrawal from or termination of this Partnership Agreement shall not relieve a Party from its responsibilities under this Partnership Agreement or the Grant Agreement in respect of that Party s work on the Project carried out, or due to have been carried out, prior to the date of withdrawal or termination. Except as may be provided in this Partnership agreement or the Grant Agreement, withdrawal or termination will not affect any rights, obligations or liabilities incurred prior to the date of termination; and the provisions of this Partnership Agreement shall survive its termination to the extent necessary to enable the Parties to pursue remedies and benefits as though this Partnership Agreement had continued in full force and effect In addition to the above clauses the Commission may terminate the Grant Agreement, without any indemnity on its part according with the rules set out in the Common Provision, Article Jurisdiction clause Failing amicable settlement, the Court of Greece shall have sole competence to rule on any dispute between the contracting parties in respect of this agreement. The law applicable to this agreement shall be the law of Greece. Done at Thessaloniki on 1/12/2013, in duplicate in English For the Coordinating Beneficiary Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Prof. Sofia Kouidou Andreou For the Associated Beneficiary Istituto Superiore di Sanità Dott. Fabrizio Oleari 17

18 For the Coordinating Beneficiary Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Prof. Sofia Kouidou Andreou For the Associated Beneficiary Jožef Stefan Institute Prof. Jadran Lenarčič 18

19 For the Coordinating Beneficiary Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Prof. Sofia Kouidou Andreou For the Associated Beneficiary Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas Prof. Antonio Figueras 19

20 ANNEXES: - The Grant Agreement signed between the European Commission and the Coordinating Beneficiary, including all annexes thereto: Special Provisions, Common Provisions, the revised project proposal. 20